Potteby-formihg machine



M. BURGER POTTERY FORMING MACHINE Filed Febf 2o.v 1922 8 sheets-Sheet 1 1,4m? M. BURGER POTTERY FORMING MACHINE Get. 2 E923.

Filed Feb. 2O i922 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 Fpty'. 2.

@du 2 E923.

M. BURGER POTTERY FORMING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2O 1922 H LI 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 @et 2 i923.

M. BURGER POTTERY FORMING MAGHINE Filed IFeb. zo. 8 sheets-Smet 4 @et 2 i923.,

M. BURGER POTTERY FORMING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2o. 1922 8 sheets-smet s @CL 2 i923,

M. BURGER POTTERY FORMING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2o.

1922 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 M. BURGER POTTERY FORMING MACH-INE Filed Feb. 2o. 1922' 4:s sheets-,sheet 'f' @et 2 T923.

1,469,378 Ni. BURGER l POTTERY Femme MACHINE s sheets-sheet 8 Filed Feb. 2o 1922 Patented Get. 2, i923.

omTan sTaTas aaTanT clasica.

MARTIN BURGER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 GAETANO E. ROMANO, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

POTTERY-FORMING MACHINE.

. Application filed February 20, 1922. `Serial No. 537,944.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, MARTIN BURGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pottery-Forming Machines, of which the following is a specilication.

My invention relates to improvements in pottery forming machines, the present embodiment of the invention being particularly designed and adapted for forming ar ticles, such for instance, as cups, saucers, plates, etc., from plastic clay preparatory to the final drying and burning thereof.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a generally improved machine of the class or type indicated which Will be exceedingly simple in construction, cheap of manufacture and eiiicient in use.

A further and very important object is the provision of a machine of this class which will be entirely automatic in operation embodying an improved horizontally movable rotatably mounted mold carrier or table arranged to be intermittently rotated to bring the various molds successively into operative position with respect to the forming tool which is designed to fashionthe article from plastic. material in each mold as the latter is brought into proper relative position, together with improved means for automatically and successively engaging each mold and supporting and actuating such mold in co-operative relation to the former tool when the mold carrier or table is at rest, thereby supporting and actuating each mold in such position independently of the mold carrier table thereby relieving the latter of all strains and stresses ineident thereto.

A still further object is the provision of automatically actuated means for successively engaging and cjecting each mold and the contained formed article from the delivery side of the mold carrier in convenient relation to be engaged and removed by a suitable mold conveyer.

A still'further object is the provision of improved former guiding and actuating mechanism adapted to successively enter construction, arrangement and combination of parts, hereinafter described, illustrated in some of its embodiments in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

Referring tothe dra-Wings, forming a part of this specification, Figure l is a side elevation of a. machine constructed in accordance with this invention, the mold carrier being at rest and the mold and fornier actuating mechanism being in initial p0- sition preparatory to moving into co-operative mold actuating and forming relation to the mold and moldxcharge, respectively.

Fig. 2, a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3, a front elevation, partly in section, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. p

Fig. et, ya fragmentary side elevation of the mold carrier locking mechanism for locking and releasin the mold carrier or table at predetermine 0r rest positions preparatory to actuating the mold and forming the mold charge carried thereby' by the mold 'actuating and former mechanism.

Fig. 5, a fragmentary detailed view of -the stop and lock members of the mold carrier locking mechanism.

Fig. 6, an enlarged longitudinal sectional view, partly in side elevation, the dotted lines indicating the operative positions of the mold actuating and mold ejecting mechanism` Fig. 7, a detailed sectional View of the lower bearing portion of the reciprocatory mold engaging and actuating shaft.

Fig. 8, a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 9, an enlarged top plan view of the gg rendeva actuating or driving mechanism for intermittently drivingthe mold carrier or table.

Fig. l0, a side elevation of the same. Fig. 11, an enlarged side elevation'of the `reciproca-tory former mechanism in co-operative or Working position with a mold and mold charge, the mold and reciprocatory former carriage being provided with means for reciprocating the carriage to carry and conform the former tool to an oblong or irregularly shaped mold for the formation of a correspondingly shaped article.

Fig. 12, an enlarged side elevation of the former tool actuating cam and plunger.

Fig. 13, an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of a former tool attachment for automatically reciprocating the former tool. carriage and former tool for undercutting and fori'ning irregular shaped articles in plastic material.

Fig. 14, an enlarged side elevation of the reciprocatory former tool carrying actuating and guiding mechanism, detached.

Fig. 15, a front elevation of the same, partly in central vertical section. v

liig. 16, a side elevation of the same, the former carrying plunger being held in a laterally inclined down or operative position for correspondingly forming inclined walls or surfaces in the article to be formed.

Fig; 17, a side elevation of the delivery side of the machine, illustrating a mold carrier device for receiving and removin the forming mold and 'contained forme article from the mold ejecting mechanism.

vl`ig. 18, a top plan'view of the same.

Similar numerals of reference `designate like parts throughout all the figures of the diiawings.

rll`he improved machine comprises a suitable supporting frame made up, in the prescnt instance, of a suitable supporting base or bed 1, provided with side and cross .frame members 1a and 1b, surmounted by a supporting top 1-v rl'he frame members 1u to 1, inclusive, are adapted to carry and support the various working parts and bearings therefor, as hereinafter referred to.

The supporting base or bed l, in the prescnt instance, is `provided with a standard or pedestal 2, made up of spaced columns and surmounted b the su porting bracket 2, having upward y exten( ing arms 2b, terminating in bearing `heads 2.

As a means of properly' su porting and feeding the molds wherebythe atter may be brought successively into proper position to be operated upon by the'former tool and the subjacent mold enga-ging su porting and actuating device as hereina ter referred to, and whereby also molds at the delivery side of the machine or mold carrier may be ejected to be engaged and carried away by suitable conveyor mechanism, a mold carrier 3 is provided, said mold carrier, in the present instance, being in the specific forni of a rotatably mounted table provided about its periphery with a plurality of equally spaced mold receiving openings 3a, said openings 3, being adapted to receive the subjacent mold driving and ejecting members when the latter are in their elevated positions, as shown most clearly in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

As a means of supporting the carrier or table 3 upon the frame, the supporting top 1c may be provided with a cylindrical support or column 1d, provided at its top with a suitable ball bearing annular race way 1e, in which ball bearings 1t may be mounted to co-operatewith a suitable annular race Way 1g, on the lower side of the supporting head 3", of the mold carrier or table As a means of intermittently actuating or driving the carrier 3 within the supporting column 1d and upon the bearings referred to, the head 3b of the carrier 3 is provided with a driving or actuating shaft 3, extending downwardly through the top 1 and provided at its lower end With a ratchet wheel 3d, the teeth of said ratchet wheel 3d being adapted to be successively'engaged by means of a pawl 4, carried upon one end of a bellcrank (see Fig. 9), the latter being mounted on a bearing 1h, extending, in the present instance, downwardly from the supporting top 1C, said bell cra-nk 5 being connected to a. second bell crank 6 by means of a link 7, and the secondbell crank 6 being mounted on a second bearing 1*, on the bed plate 1, said second bell crank 6 being connected to an actuating lever. 8, by means ol.' a connecting link 9. rihe horizontally movable actuating lever 8 is pivotally mounted, in the present instance. upon a bearing bracket 10, mounted on one ofthe standards 2, and secured by means of a bearing bolt 8a, the shortl end of the lever 8 being provided with a friction roller 8b, interposed between a pair of cam members 11, having lateral cam faces 11a, the cams 11 being mounted on a transversely extending shaft 12, mounted in bearing brackets 12, on the supporting base or bed 1. As a means of driving the shaft 12, the latter is provided at one end with a Worm gear 13, meshing with a worm 14, of a motor shaft 15, in a suitable motor 16. It Will thus be. seen that as the shaft 12 is rotated by themotor the mold carrier will be intermittently driven or rotated through the pawl 4 and connected link and bell crank mechanism, such motion during each working impulse serving to bring the succeeding mold in the mold carrie-r or table directly beneath the former tool and directly over the individual mold supportl and driving. mechanism, hereinafter referred to.

As a means of locking the mold carrier or table 3 in its respective shifted positions when actuated by the intermittently actuated driving mechanism aboveA described and unlocking such mold carrier preparatory to being given a new working or mold transferring movement, the standard or pedestal members 2 may be provided with a bearing bracket 17, provided with a bearing 18, carrying a pivoted lever or latch 19, the free end 19, being preferably tapered as shown in F ig. 5 and being adapted to enter between similarly tapered lugs 3e, on the outer edges of the carrier or table 3 and spaced to correspond with the mold receiving openings 3, said latch or'lever 19 being connected to a vertically extending link 20, connected t0 a bell crank 21, mounted on a suitable bearing, said bell crank being connected to a horizontally extending actuating b ar 22, slidably mounted in a guide or beary ing bracket 23. The free end of the slidablc bar 22 may be provided with an inclined or bevelled end 22a, adapted to be engaged b v and to co-operate with a similarly inclined bevelled end 24, of a bracket 24, mounted, in the present instance, on the reciprocatory connecting link or bar 25, for operating the former tool, hereinafter referred to.

The molds 26, provided with suitable charges of plastic material, are adapted to be removably mounted in the mold receiving openings 3a, of the mold carrier 3` and may be of any suitable and convenient form adapted to the contour of the particular article to be formed. As a means of supporting the molds 26 on the mold carrier as moved to and from the former tool and the subjacent mold supporting and actuating mechanism, and as later transferred from the latter to the mold ejecting mechanism, hereinafter referred to, each mold is preferably provided with an overhanging annular flange 26, affording a shoulder adapted to rest on the ltable or carrier, the latter being preferably provided with a gasket 26", to form a suitable resilient support for the shoulder of the annular Harige 26' of the mold.

As a means of independently engaging supporting and driving the mold 26 in cooperative relation with the overhanging former tool and independently of the carrier or table 3 when the latter is at rest, thereby relieving the carrier-or table of yany strains or stresses during'such article forming operation, a vertically and circumfercntiallyr movable mold engaging supporting and actuating head 27 is provided beneath the table yand in line with the path traversed by the overhanging molds, said head 27, in the present instance, being of hollow cup shape to receive the pendant portion of the mold, said hollow head 27 being preferably provided. at its upper edges with inclined annular shoulder portions 27, adapted to engage with a similarly inclined shoulder 261, on the molds. The base of the mold engaging and actuating head may be secured to a base plate 26, carried upon a shaft 28, the latter operating in a guide bearing 28a, formed, in the present instance in the base or bed 1.

The shaft 28 is provided at its lower end with a bearing head 27', the latter, in the present instance, forming a ball race way t-o cry-operate with suitable ball bearings 2T",

the latter resting on a Swivel block 29, swivelly connected at its side with bearing links 30, leading. downwardly to an actuating lever 3l. The swivel bearing block 29 is preferably connected to a second bearing head 27C, forming a race way for a second set of ball bearings, t-he second bearing head 27, in the present instance being connected by means of a threaded extension 29a, provided with a nut 291.

The shaft 28 is provided with a friet-ion wheel 32, so that when `the shaft 28 and the mold engaging driving head 27 are elevated through the medium of the actuating lever 3l, as hereinafter referred to, and the mold 26 has beenelevated out of engagement with the carrier or gasket 26", the friction wheel 32 will come into engagement with a second friction wheel 33, carried upon the end of` a driving shaft 34, mounted in suitable bearings 35, of the machine frame, said shaft 34 being provided at its end with a gear wheel 36, meshing with an idle gear 36a, and the latter meshing with a second idle gear 36",

and the latter mesh-ing with a gear 37, carried on the end of the motor shaft 15.

As a means of simultaneously elevating and ejecting a mold and the formed article therein from the delivery side of the mold carrier or table with the same working im# pulse imparted to the actuating lever 31 iu elevating the shaft 28 and head 27 for supporting and Iactuating the mold as above described, the actuating lever 31 is provided with an extension 31a, connected at its outer end to a vertically movable plunger 38, through ythe medium of links 38, the links 38a being adapted to reciprocate the plunger 38 in the guide 11, of the machine frame simultaneously with the reciprocation of the shaft 28 and mold engaging and actua-ting head 27. The plunger 38 is provided at its top with a head 38, adapted to engage with the lower portion of the mold and raise the same upwardly out of -the mold receiving opening 3a, as shown in Fig 17 of the draW- ings whereby the same may be readily engaged by jaws 39, on an endless conveyer 40 suitably mounted and since such conveyer forms no specific part of the present invention, the same need not be described in detail. In the present instance, the actuating lever 31 is pivotally mounted on a bracket 41, by means of a bearing 41a, and the lever is adapted to be actuated through the Incdium of a vertically movable actuating or y plunger rod 42. operating in a guide bearing bracket 43, said actuator 42 being adapted to ride upon and to be actuated by .a cam 44 carried by the shaft 12. The actuator or plunger member 42 may be provided with a' friction roller 42a.

'lChe former tool 45 may be of any suitable and convenient form, and as a means of carrying, guiding and adjusting such former tool in proper co-operative relation to the subjacent charge of material in the molds and the subjacent mold engaging and actuating head 27, the former tool 45, is adjustably mounted in a tool holder 46, carried at the lower end of the plunger or guide stem i 47, the latter being adapted to reciprocate within a guide head 48, carried by a carriage 49, mounted in a suitable carriage guide support or bracket 50, said carriage support 50, in the present instance, being mounted on the supporting bracket 2a of the supporting standard or pedestal 2.

As a means of reciprocating the plunger 47 and the former tool 45 carried thereby whereby the latter will enter within and be withdrawn from the mold 26 in co-operative relation to the actuation ot the mold engaging and actuating head 27 and shaft 28, the upper end of the plunger or guide stem 47 is connected to a lever 51, through the medium of links 52, the lever being pivoted between the bearing heads 2c of thc bracket arms 2b by means of a bearing member 51, the rear end of the lever being connected to the vertically movable bar by means of links 53, and the vertical recipro-v catory bar 25 is adapted to slide within the bearing brackets 54. As a means of reciprocating the bar 25 and the connected link and lever mechanism for operating the former tool, the lower end ot the bar 25 is provided with a laterally extending roller 25a, adapted to operate within a cam groove 55a, ot a cam member 55, mounted on the shaft I12 in co-operative relation to the cam 44 for actuating the lever 31, said cams 44 and 55 being arranged in properly timed synchronous relation to each other.

The guide head 48, is preferably swivelled to the relatively fixed member 49, of the carriage through the medium of lateral cylindrical head and socket members 48al and 49h, respectively, and if desired the guide head 48 may be inclined and secured in such inclined position by means of slots 48", and adjustingscrews 48, as-shown most clearly in lFig. 14 ost the drawings.

As a means of carrying the stem or shank 47 to an inclined position, as in undercut or bevelled work, the fixedmember 49a of the carriage may be provided with a face plate 56, having a guide slot 56a, the latter being provided with anangularly extending terminal portion 56h, adapted when the plunger 47 is moved downwardly to its lower-most nascere position to carry the former tool laterally, as indicated most clearly in lFig. 16 ot the drawings, the stem 47 in this instance being provided with a laterally extending guide member 47, provided with a guide roller 47h, operating in the guide slot 56a in a well known and understood manner.

As a means of moving the carriage and the tool holder and guide stem carriage thereby to cause the tool holder 46 to automatically move and conform to the interior of an oblong or irregularly shaped article,v

as in Fig. 11 of the drawings, the carriage may be moved in one direction by means of an attachment such as shown in ig. 11 consisting, in the present instance, of a lever 57, mounted on a bracket 58, on the standards 2, said lever being connected at one end to the carriage and the other being provided with a'roller 57a, adapted to be actuated by suitably shaped guide or contour plate 26", the contour plate 26e being shaped to reciprocate the carriage 49 and the former tool 45 so that the latter will follow the contour of the mold cavity or article being formed in oblong or irregular shape. 'lhe lever 57 acts to move the carriage in one direction against the resistance of a spring 59, connected to a lug1 49, on the carriage 49, and connected at the opposite end to the bracket arms 2b and as a means of limiting the reciprocatory movements imparted to the carriage 49, the latter is provided with a slot 49d, operating in coperative relation to a stop bolt 49e.

Referring to the farm or attachment shown in Fig, 13 for automatically moving the former tool 45 just after the insertion o the latter into the mold cavity tor forming an article 60, having a contracted neck portion and an enlarged body portion and for retracting or centralizing such former tool prior to the elevation or retraction of the latter from the neck of the article or vessel 60, it will be seen that a lever 61, is mounted in the bracket 58, and that the lower end ot the lever 61 is connected to a horizontally movable rod 62, mounted in a guide bracket 63, the rod or bar 62 terminating in a loop head 62, having its opposite sides adapted to be alternately engaged by a cam 64, mounted on the transverse shaft 12.

Referring to the use of a face plate 56, having a guide slot 56a, and terminal slot portion 56h, as shown for example in Figs. 1 and 16 of the drawings, for causing the plunger stem 47 andthe former tool 45 carried thereby to be inclined laterally at the end of the downward stroke or the working position ont the tool within the plastic charge in the molds, it should be understood that when such form of slotted face plate is usedthe screws 48c (see lFig. 14) are loosened in the segmental slots 48b to permit of this tilting or lateral movement oi the relatively ill@ rea

movable guide head 48 within the bearing socket 49bof the relatively fixed member t9a v.ao

of the carriage. In formin the various articles 60 from plastic material within the molds, a suitable conduit pipe 65, may be provided `v said pipe 65, leading to a suitable supply of water or other lubricant and vbeing provided with a nozzle 66, controlled by a handle 67, operating a suitable valve, the said nozzle 66 being adapted to discharge into the mold receptacle or upon the plastic material, as indicated for example in F ig. 11 of the drawings.

Having thus described some of the embodiments of my invention, without having attempted to set forth Iall the forms in which it may be made, or all the modes of its use, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-

1. In la machine for shaping plastic material, a support, a plunger, a former tool carried by said plunger, means for actuating said plunger, and means for guiding and movin said plunger and former tool laterally whi e being actuated by said plunger actuating mechanism.

2. In a machine for shaping plastic material, a horizontally movable rotatably mounted mold carrier table, means for intermittently actuating the latter, means for locking said carrier table in predetermined rest positions, a plunger, actuating means for said plunger, means for locking said carrier table when in predetermined rest positions, and means for moving said plunger and former tool laterally as the latter is moved downwardly to normal position between intervals of movement of said carrier table.

3. In a machine for shaping plastic material, a horizontally movable mold table carrying vertically movable molds, means for intermittently moving said table and independently elevating and rotating said molds, means for locking and unlocking said table in predetermined positions, a carriage provided with a guide head, a plunger in said guide head, a former tool on said plunger, and means for reciprocating said carriage and guide head whereby said plunger and former tool are carried laterally.

4. In a machine for shaping plastic material, a support provided with a guide head, a plunger in the latter, a former tool carried by said plunger, means for adjusting said guide head to vary the inclination of said plunger and former tool, and means for actuating said plunger.

5. In a shapin machine for plastic material, a rotataby mounted horizontally movable table` carrying vertically movable molds, means for brmging said molds to predetermined positions through intermittent movements of said table, means for successively elevating and rotating said molds independently of said table, a plunger carry- 111g a former tool in cooperative relation to said molds, and means for carrying said former tool laterally in its working positions.

6. In a machinefor shaping plastic material, a carriage support, a carriage movable therein and provided with a relatively fixed head, a relatively movable guide head thereon, a plunger in said guide head, a former tool on said plunger, and means for reciprocating said carriage whereby said plunger and former tool are carried laterally.

7 In a machine for shaping lastic mater1al, a support, a carriage movagle relatively of said support, a gunde head carried by said carriage, a plunger movable in said guide head, a former tool adjustable on said plunger, means for reciprocating said plunger, and means for carrying said former tool laterally in its working position.

8. Iny a machine forv shaping plastic material, in combination with a horizontal carrier table provided with vertically movable molds, normally supported thereon, means for intermittentlyy rotating said table and molds to predetermined positions, automatically operated former tool mechanism operating between intervals of movement of said carrier table, means for successively elevating and rotating said molds in and independently of said table when the latter is at rest, and means for elevating said' molds with the finished articles at another position of said table when the latter is at rest.

9. In a machine for shaping plastic material, a carriage support, a relatively movable carriage provided with a head, a relatively movable guide head, means for adjusting the latter, a plunger in said guide head,.a former tool on said pl'un er, and means for moving said carriage an tool laterally when in working position.

10. In a machine for shaping plastic material, an intermittently moving carrier rovided with loosely mounted molds capab e ot vertical movement therein, and intermittently operating molds engaging and rotating mechanism adapted to initially elevate and then rotate said molds successively independently of said table when the latter is at rest.

11. In a shaping machine for plastic material, a rotatably mounted horizontally movable table carrying vertically movable loosely mounted molds, means for bringing the latter to predetermined ositions through the movements of said tab e, and means for successively enga ing and rotatmg sald molds independent y, of said table when the latter is at rest.

12. In a machine for shaping plastic material, in combinaiton with a horizontally movable carrier table provided with vertically movable regularly spaced molds, means for -rotating said table intermittently to said plunger and former lill( bring said molds to predetermined positions, 7

means for ejectin and means for successively en aging and rotating said molds `independent y of said table when the latter is at rest. i

13. ln a machine lor shaping plastic ma* terial, a support, a carriage movable in said support, a guide head carried by and adinstable on said carriage, a plunger vertically movable in said guide head, a former tool carried by said plunger, means lor reciprocating said plunger and tormer tool, and means tor carrying said plunger and itormer tool laterally in operative or down position.

1l. ln an automatic machine tor shaping plastic material, a rotatably mounted horizontal mold carrier provided with vertically movable molds, mold rotating and ejecting members below the path of travel ot said molds, means for elevating said mold rotating and ejecting members, and means Ifor rotating said mold rotating member when in engagement with a mold whereby the latter is actuated independently of said table.

15.. ln a` machine for shaping plastic material, the combination with a series ot ytraveling molds, and means tor intermittently moving the latter; ot a reciprocatory former overhanging the path ot travel of said series of molds, means for bringing said former into said molds when the latter are at rest, means for successively supporting said molds while said former is operatingv upon the plastic material therein, and said molds when the articles are tinishc 16. lln a molding machine, the combination with avhorizontally rotating mold carrier provided with molds, and means for intermittently moving said carrier; ot re- .ciprocatory t'ormer and mold actuating devices arranged above and below the paths traversed by said molds, and means 'tor simultaneously actuating said former and mold actuating devices when said carrier is at rest in co-operative relation to said carrier actuating mechanism.

17. ln an automatic machine for shaping plastic material, a rotatably mounted mold carrier provided with removably mounted molds arranged in a circular path, mold rotating and electing members below said table and the path of travel of said molds, means for elevating said mold rotating and ejecting members on opposite sides of said table, and means for rotating said mold rotating member when in its elevated position whereby said engaged and rotated mold is supported independently oit said table.

18. ylin a machine for shaping plastic material, in combination with a rotatably mounted mold tor an irregular shaped article and a similarly shaped contour plate carried by said mold; of a carriage provided with a guide head, a plunger provided with a former tool, means lor moving said I plunger and former tool to and trom said ideeen/s mold, and means between said carriage and contour plate for moving said carriage and former tool laterally to conform to the contour of the mold and the article to be formed therein.

19. ln an automatic machine for shaping plastic material, a frame, a horizontal mold carrier on said frame provided with circularly arranged molds, a former tool and actuating mechanism on said frame, means for intermittently rotating said mold carrier, means for reciprocating the former tool during the periods of rest of the mold carrier, means tor freeing the molds and completed articles `from the carrier, and means for revolving the mold and charge ot plastic material independently ot the mold carrier when the latter is at rest.

20; lln an automatic machine for shaping plastic material, a frame, a mold carrier table rotatably mounted on'said trame and provided with a series of circularly arranged molds, a former mounted to reciprocate in said trame, means for intermittently rotating the mold carrier tab-le, means for reciprocating the former during the periods of rest of the mold carrier, means for' freeing the molds and completed articlesfrom the carrier, and means lor supporting the mold and charge oit plastic material independently of the table when the latter is at rest.

21. lln a machine for shaping plastic material, in combination with a rotatably mounted mold ttor an irregularly shaped article and a contour plate on the outer side ot said mold; oit a carriage provided with a guide head, a plunger in the latter provided with a former tool, means tor moving said plunger to carry said former tool in proper relative position within the mold receptacle, and means between said carriage andv contour plate for guiding said carriage to carry said former tool laterally to contorm to the contour of the mold receptacle and the artic-le being formed.

22. lln an automatic machine for shaping plastic material, the combination with a rotatably mounted mold carrier carrying a series oit vertically movable molds, a reciprocatory former positioned above the path ot MMD said molds, means for shifting said moldI carrier intermittently to successively bring the molds thereof into operative relatior to said reciprocatory former, means forsuccessively elevating and rotating said molds independently of said' carrier when the material therein is operated upon by said tormer, and means for guiding said former laterally to conform to the contour oit the article to be termed..

23. ln an automatic machine for shaping plastic material, a rotatably mounted horizontally movable carrier provided with a plurality of molds adapted to be moved relatively independently of said carrier; ot

lill@ former tool and mold supporting and rotating mechanism arranged above and below the paths traversed by said molds, means for intermittentl moving said carrier and bringinglsai molds successively between the said former tool and mold supporting and actuating mechanism, and means for bring, ing said former tool and mold supporting and actuating mechanism into operative relation to each other and to said molds when said' carrier is at rest. Y

24:. In an automatic machine for shaping plastic material, the combination with a rotatably mounted mold carrier carrying a series of vertically movable molds, a reciprocatory former positioned above. the ath of said molds, means for shifting sai mold carrier intermittently to successively bring the molds thereof into operative relation t0 said reciprocatory former, means for successively elevating said molds and supporting the same independently of said carrier when the plastic material therein is being operated upon by said former, and means for guiding said former to conform to the contour of the mold cavity and the article being formed' therein.

25. In a molding machine, the combination with an intermittently actuated horizontally movable mold carrier table carrying a plurality of vertically movable molds;. of an overhanging former tool and a subja- .cent mold supportin and actuating member arranged `above and elow said carrier table, means for bringing said tool and mold supporting and actuating members into engagement with said molds as the latter are successively moved into osition by said mold carrier table, means r rotating said mold engaging head and said mold independently of said carrier table when the latter is at rest, and means for guiding said former tool within said mold as the latter is rotated.

26. In a machine for shaping plastic material, the combination with an intermittently actuated mold carrier provided with independently mounted molds arranged in a circular path, and means beneath sald table for engaging and rotating said molds successively when said table is at rest; of an overhanging carriage providedwith a guide head, avertically movable plunger in said guide head provided with a former tool, meansyfor actuating said plunger and carrying said former tool into said mold when the table is at rest, and means for moving said plunger and former tool laterally when the latter is in an operative position within said mold.

27. In a molding machine, the combination with a rotatably mounted carrier table provided with a plurality of vertically movable molds arranged in a circular path, and means for intermittently rotatin said table to bring said molds to pre etermined positions; of oppositely arranged former tool and' mold supporting and rotating members arranged to be brou ht into operative relation to said molds w en said table is at rest, means for actuating said former tool and mold rotating members, and means for carryin said former tool laterally within the mol as the latter is rotated whereby to follow the outline oan irregular shaped article being formed in said mold'.

28. In an automatic machine for shaping plastic material, a frame, a mold carrier rotatably mounted for movement in a horizontal plane on said frame and provided with a series of \e ually spaced circumferentially arranged mo ds vertically and removably mounted therein, areciprocatory overhan -v ing former above the path of said mol s, means for intermittently rotating said mold carrier to bring said molds successively under said reciprocatory former, means for independently supporting said molds and rotating the same as the plastic material therein is operated upon by said former, and means for simultaneously ejecting molds' carryin the linished formed product when said mo d carrier is atrest.

29. In a molding machine for plastic material, a rotatably mounted horizontally movable mold carrier, a reciprocatory vertically movable former arranged above and at right angles to the lane of said mold' carrier, means for shi ting said mold carrier horizontally and intermittently to successively bring the molds thereof into operative relation to said reciprocatory former, means for locking the mold carrier against movement during the periods of rest, means for supporting said molds independently of said carrier and for rotating the same in co-operative relation to said former, means for simultaneously elevating another mold with a finished article from said carrier, and means for intermittently actuating said mold carrier.

In testimony whereof I hereby aiix my nos 

